Healing (Zalex)

Chapter 1

Zack sat in the car as he watched students pile into the school, the buzz of a new year and new beginnings...but what about new life? New identity? That made everything hell. New ID, no one to contact whatsoever, no friends, no family.. and for what? Honestly, Zack didn't know.

Zack turned off the engine as he got out of his car, he grabbed his bag from the car and locked the door, he made his way to the front doors of the school, new ID in hand. 'Zachary Merrick' 'Zack Merrick' 'Zachary Ace Merrick' he repeated in his head as he walked into the reception. God he was rehearsing his name like he was about to board a flight. "Get it together Marshall! We went over this with Helen" Zack thought to himself "Merrick damn it! I'm already fucked"

As Zack walked into the reception there were three guys around his age standing there. Shaggy-haired boy. Shaggy.  A guy with terrible breath, and a singular bleach streak in his hair. skunk. Finally, the guy with pearlescent white teeth... Teeth.

"You must be Zack Merrick" Shaggy started "I'm Alex, that's Rian and that's Jack" Shaggy- no Alex finished as he pointed at the other two.

Zack forced a half-smile, realizing that these would be his new companions in this elaborate charade. The weight of his fabricated identity pressed on him like a lead cloak, and he couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom. He nodded in acknowledgement, already calculating the risks of getting close to these guys.

"Zack Merrick," he introduced himself, trying to sound confident while internally questioning the sanity of whoever devised this elaborate scheme. "Nice to meet you guys." He exchanged pleasantries with Alex, Rian, and Jack, all the while wondering if they were aware of the intricate web of deception surrounding his very existence.

As they navigated the hallways, Zack couldn't help but feel like an imposter in his own life. The constant reminder of his altered identity echoed in his mind. 'Zachary Merrick,' 'Zack Merrick,' 'Zachary Ace Merrick' – names that carried more weight than the baggage he left behind. Each step felt like a step further into the abyss of his own making.

Classes commenced, and Zack struggled to focus on the lessons. He glanced at the faces around him, wondering if anyone could see through the facade. The shaggy-haired Alex, the breath-problematic Jack, and the teeth-obsessed Rian; were becoming his makeshift allies in this surreal journey.

The day unfolded with a strange rhythm, a blend of the familiar and the utterly alien. Zack found himself entangled in a web of lies, unable to escape the consequences of a past he was forced to abandon. As the bell rang, signalling the end of the day, he couldn't help but wonder what awaited him beyond the walls of the school.

The journey home felt like a quiet retreat from the chaos of the day. Zack couldn't shake off the nagging sense of isolation alone in his car. The GPS led him to a new address, a new residence that further solidified the charade. His gaze lingered on the rearview mirror, staring at the reflection of a person he barely recognized.

As he pulled into the driveway of his supposed home, Zack couldn't escape the haunting question that lingered in his mind – "For what?" Honestly, Zack didn't know. The answer eluded him, hidden beneath layers of deceit and uncertainty. Little did he realize that his journey had just begun, and the consequences of his new life were yet to unfold.

As Zack walked into the unfamiliar flat, he made his way around, he checked out every last door was locked, all the windows were bolted down and no one could come in. It was just him... and his thoughts. 

Zack walked "Do I want coffee? or do I want tea?" coffee. it is cheaper. he asked, "do I want to be alive?" no. no, he does not. does anyone? 

"It's official, I've lost my goddamn mind!" Zack exclaimed as he punched a wall in rage.

"Zack!" Helen yelled as she walked into the flat.

Zack let out a very manly scream as he grabbed a knife from the draw "Wh- What- where did-" Zack stammered his hands shaking as he dropped the knife on the counter, tears pooling at the corner of his eyes, confused as to how Helen got in as he had locked the doors and window. If Helen, a lowlife- a-a- a normal average woman could get in, there was no possible way Zack was safe. 

"I can't live here!" Zack exclaimed as he looked around his breathing uneven, his body shaking as he sunk to the floor. 

Helen shook her head as she knelt beside Zack and rubbed his chest "It's going to be okay, you are safe" she comforted. 

"I am going to get you and everyone else killed!" Zack exclaimed, "It's not fine!" 

Zack's emotions spiralled out of control, each revelation unravelling another layer of the intricate web he found himself entangled in. The flat that was supposed to be his sanctuary now felt like a prison, and the choices he faced seemed to mock him with their absurdity.

Helen sighed, her eyes revealing a mixture of sympathy and frustration. "Look, Zack, we knew this wouldn't be easy. Adjusting to a new life takes time," she said, her voice carrying the weight of the secrets they both shared. "You can't let fear control you."

But fear had already taken root in Zack's mind, feeding on the uncertainty of his fabricated existence. The mundane decision of coffee or tea became a metaphor for the much larger question of whether he even wanted to continue this charade. As the walls of the unfamiliar flat closed in on him, he grappled with the dissonance between the life he left behind and the one he was forced to embrace.

His outburst echoed through the empty rooms, punctuating the surreal nature of his predicament. The encounter with Helen only intensified the paranoia, leaving him questioning the very walls that were meant to offer solace. The vulnerability of his situation hit him like a tidal wave, and for a moment, he felt like a pawn in a dangerous game.

As he sat on the cold floor, Helen's attempts to reassure him were met with scepticism. "Safe?" he muttered, his voice tinged with bitterness. "How can anyone be safe when their entire existence is a lie?"

Helen's expression softened, understanding the gravity of the burden they both carried. "Zack, there's more at stake than just your safety. We're in this together, and you have to trust that we're doing what's necessary."

The room fell into a heavy silence, only broken by the distant sounds of the city beyond the windows. Zack's internal turmoil waged on, and the consequences of his decisions became more palpable with each passing moment.

The journey into the unknown had just begun, and Zack couldn't shake the feeling that the choices he made in this new life would reverberate far beyond the confines of the flat. "Look, I came by to tell you this will be the last time you see me in person" Helen starts. "You may see me around, looking out for you- but that's it, you're on your own now, and you'll be supported financially," she said as he wrapped Zack in one last embrace before she walked out of the flat.